VI. Convergence of FE Solutions

As the mesh in an FE model is “refined” repeatedly, the FE solution will converge to the exact solution of the mathematical model of the problem (the model based on bar, beam, plane stress/strain, plate, shell, or 3-D elasticity theories or assumptions).

Type of Refinements:

h-refinement: reduce the size of the element (“h” refers to the typical size of the elements);

p-refinement: Increase the order of the polynomials on an element (linear to quadratic, etc.; “h” refers to the highest order in a polynomial);

r-refinement: re-arrange the nodes in the mesh;

hp-refinement: Combination of the h- and p-refinements (better results!).

Examples:

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